Irony

[druiaghtagh]

Is it only us Brits that are good at it, Amreicans cannot seem to understand it

[naz_nomad]

You're right ... if you tell a Yank that they're wonderful, they believe it.

If they find out later on that they're not, it usually leads to a lifetime of counselling.

They don't do irony, or humour (humor?), and they're pretty rubbish at war too.

[robbo82]

Alanis Morrissette seemed to understand it. I suppose she is Canadian though.

[Quizmonster]

Clanad, an American and frequent AnswerBank user, recently upbraided me - rightly - for failing to spot the irony in an answer he'd provided. So, as with most claims which 'condemn' an entire nation, the notion that Americans just don't 'get' irony is nonsense. It may well be true, however, that they employ it less frequently than we Brits do.

[naz_nomad]

Must be their 'shoot first, use irony later' policy then?

[VINNY100_2]

If you dont think americans have a sense of humour,Then I suggest you read Bill Brysons" Notes from a Small Island".(:-)

[sunday]

i'm 12 years and have enough understanding to know that this is a form of criticism against the americans. naznomad and druiaghtagh if you were a decent person instead of criticising you explain what it means. but then again you are not very smart. i have read all your post and i gathered you are not a very intellectual person. you need schooling yourself, you have nothing better to do than to set strife and indulge in silly banter. naznomad, i find most of your response to be stupid and out of context. why does MOST</bold> british take pleasure in speaking down the americans?

ward~minter please put an evil curse on these ignorant people, thank you.

ps. i am not american

[dummkopf]

I don't agree with naz nomad that they don't do 'humor' it's just a bit different to ours. Have you never laughed at Steve Martin or Leslie Nielsen ? by the way are you anti american? the question was about irony, why bring war into it ???

[Goodsoulette]

was there anything ironic about "ironic", the meaning of it seems to have changed over the years.

[sunday]

i think i am smarter than many people who claim to be adults. the only smart people that stick out in my mind presently is

mr.andy-hughes
ms. dotty (the one with the injured toe)
mr. ward~minter

there are a few more but i don't remember their names. these three people are consistant in their answers and they are not false or phony and give real answers. they are role models for the cyber world.

[Lonnie]

Sunday, your a very welcome addition. Good Luck.

[LazyGun]

I think this is an urban myth that many of us Brits like to keep alive as a means of feeling superior. Years of working with various americans both here and in the USA have demonstrated to me that they are as capable as we are of irony.

[Pippa68]

It's a generalisation..rather like saying all Brits are stiff upper lipped!

[jno]

nobody ever watch Frasier, then?

[crete]

a very poor attutude from this greenie above i dont believe for a second that they are new to this site....................i agree about frasier but it was an exception niles was priceless.

[dot.hawkes]

No way is that a newbie, I haven't been around today and do not use the term Ms Dotty on here anyway. Plonkers some people. But I guess they did say i was smart, and so I am not saying their content is at fault, only their lacklustre performance. Oh and they were quite rude to Roberto which was obviously not the work of a newbie. M.O. of a seasoned but embittered regular me thinks.

[Pippa68]

Why is the 'greenie' bringing up the smartness of themselves..or indeed anyone else on AB..does it relate at all to the Q?

Of course I do agree, but that is besides the point.

[sunday]

i am sorry i didn't mean to be rude to mr. bob. i apologize to him and you ms. dorothy. i did not mean to be offensive. i am a new member, but i am am an old observer, just never bothered to become a member until today. you see my mother is american, i am not. so i feel i had to defend a bit.
what does MO means ms. dot? now i am confuse how to address you. i don't want to say break toe lady (lol) i am a good 12 year old and mean well. am i going to get penance now?
why do you all use so much abbreviation? they can mean anything. MO can also money order or...
please don't be angry with anyone. i like you guys.

[RATTER15]

That aint no12 year old either lol!!

[country_boy]

If you're so smart sunday, why can't you spell very well?

[sunday]

don't judge me ratters, that's your choice to believe i am not twelve. but i am twelve, i don't care who believes me or not. i dont have to justify mysely to you for indirectly calling me a liar.